Daily Eats: What Exactly is Intuitive Eating? Let’s Define!

Good-morning all! I hope you slept well, as always… I just finished some more morning quiet time which was so nice… Now I am here to share my “Daily Eats” from the last two days with you. We’ve got a double today ;).

Before we start, let’s quickly go over the purpose of these posts: to show you all that it’s possible to let go of diets, calorie counting, and deprivation in exchange for a more healthy, whole relationship to food and your body. Today I’d like to share the definition of IE linked directly to the “Original Pro’s,” Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch. This is from their website… And since I love definitions, here we go…

“What Is Intuitive Eating?“

Intuitive eating is an approach that teaches you how to create a healthy relationship with your food, mind, and body–where you ultimately become the expert of your own body. You learn how to distinguish between physical and emotional feelings, and gain a sense of body wisdom. It’s also a process of making peace with food—so that you no longer have constant “food worry” thoughts. It’s knowing that your health and your worth as a person do not change, because you ate a food that you had labeled as “bad” or “fattening”.

The underlying premise of Intuitive Eating is that you will learn to respond to your inner body cues, because you were born with all the wisdom you need for eating intuitively. On the surface, this may sound simplistic, but it is rather complex [so true!]. This inner wisdom is often clouded by years of dieting and food myths that abound in the culture. For example, “Eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full” may sound like basic common sense, but when you have a history of chronic dieting or of following rigid “healthy” rules about eating, it can be quite difficult. To be able to ultimately return to your inborn Intuitive Eater, a number of things need to be in place—most importantly, the ability to trust yourself!

…and then they go on to teach about the steps to IE which Sim & I also teach our steps through Finally Free which were inspired by these two wonderful ladies!

So, with that in mind, let’s get started… Here are my intuitive “Daily Eats” from the last two days.

TUESDAY

Tuesday started with quiet time, blogging, and then cooking lunch before breakfast even hit. I knew I wouldn’t have time to make the pasta I was craving for lunch, so I made it before I started work :).

When we were hungry for breakfast Marco and I had over-medium eggs (all chopped up here) with sourdough toast topped with Kerrygold butter. So yummy! This literally gets me every time.

Lunch was caesar salad (spring mix, caesar dressing, olives for me, and parmesan cheese) with pasta.

The pasta was really, really simple! Rigatoni noodles with tomato and basil sauce topped with parmesan cheese. This week is one of those weeks where I just want easy, simple, but still tasty foods.

Once I ended work, Marco and I walked to RedBox to pick up a movie. Before we left, I snacked on a plum.

Once we got home, I made dinner. Arborio rice cooked in chicken broth > water, broccoli with 21 seasoning salute and a little butter with S&P, and finally, chicken cooked in butter & olive oil with sea-salt and 21 seasoning salute (from Trader Joes). So yum. We used our own toppings each: chili paste, Sriracha, and soy sauce. Our fav. toppings for this simple dish that we eat often :).

While we were picking up the movie (before dinner), we also picked up ice cream. Haagen Daaz for the boy, Talenti for me… I’ve gotta say, I was so excited about this flavor and then was shocked once I got home to open her up for a taste.

Talenti usually has about 5 ingredients. I’ve always loved this about Talenti. I like to have the REAL stuff. The really good, real sugar, real cream, real milk, real fruit, etc… As an intuitive eater, I absolutely listen to my cravings, and I also aim to choose the best, most real and quality version of what I’m craving whenever it’s available – it tastes WAY better, anyway. This is called “guiding your body with gentle nutrition.” Not feeling “guilty” or “bad” for ANYTHING (or restricting anything), and also knowing/learning that there are so many wonderful, feel good options out there that taste incredible. Top of the line, good.

This one is as packed as any other ice cream with ingredients (palm oil, carrageenan). The other flavors with less ingredients taste even better and I’ll be picking those up on our next trip.

ALL that being said, the flavor was delicious and I still totally enjoyed the ice cream… there are little chunks of cheesecake inside (which is where those ingredients are coming from – it’s all in the cheesecake). What’s your favorite ice cream? 

WEDNESDAY

Wednesday started off with a breakfast of over-medium eggs and sourdough toast. I’m not sure why, but this tasted even better than usual. Perhaps because I was intentional about slowing down because I was REALLY excited to enjoy it? It was so good… I think I smiled through my whole breakfast… Ha!

After breakfast I got to work. I have had a packed full week of clients this week, which I am thankful for. That being said, I’ve been extra intentional to spend my off time resting, and/or doing little things that bring me joy (I talked about this in yesterdays post).

Around noon before a client session, I grabbed a little piece of chocolate. I wasn’t hungry, but just wanted a little sweet kick in the booty. I also made some peppermint tea while I continued work.

I paused for lunch around 1:30. I had pasta and a side salad with bleu cheese crumbles, spring mix, and balsamic dressing (olive oil, balsamic, and dijon mustard). Sorry the pasta is blurred, whoops!

For dinner I enjoyed leftover rice, chicken, and broccoli. Yum… It’s crazy how often I eat this and eggs and toast, and how much I still love each one every time I eat it. Haha. Do you have any favorite staples like these? 

After dinner I walked to RedBox to return our movie, and to check the mail. I then came home, laid down for a little rester, and then got back up to go the gym. When I got home from the gym I got cozy in my PJ’s, and made the following late-night snack…

“Meat and cheese” as I’ve been calling it (not sure what meat this is, still) with some peppermint tea. After I ate this snack I FaceTimed one of my best friends, Kayla for about 45 minutes. We talked all things GIRL and it was so fun… I miss that face! If any of you have been reading my blog since the VERY beginning on Tumblr, you’ll remember Kayla 🙂 as we started blogs at the same time (K no longer has hers).

Alrighty, so I want to know!

Do you have any favorite staples meals like my “chicken rice and broccoli,” or my “eggs and toast”? What food do you feel like you could never get tired of?

Also, what’s your favorite ice cream? 

Love,

P.S. If you would like to let go of calorie counting today, read this post.